Stop Being Shy and Get Your Bills Paid

All that Google traffic stumbling across your site? Those visitors aren’t concerned about you earning enough this month to pay your mortgage.

Have you even started building or promoting your site yet? Get on it and forget what the naysayers have to say.

The paid ad campaign you drafted that you think is over-the-top? Make it go live. Stop worrying that people will see your advertisements and think you’re a money-grubber. Fear and worry are robbing you blind.

But you’re so right, and this is something I need to come back and re-read every day. I know I’m guilty of giving away too much for free, but I definitely find it challenging to put on that “sales” hat and actually treat my business like a business – not a charity.

But at the end of the day, the bills have to get paid, and asking for monetary compensation in exchange for value given isn’t some audacious, inappropriate action.

You’re right it isn’t inappropriate. You are sharing a lot for free and I think it’s fantastic (even necessary in this environment) but let’s never shy away from putting our “sales hat” on when it’s time to offer/promote something of premium value. The people who understand what we’re doing, and stick around, are the ones we want coming along for the ride, yes?

I just hit my 6 months of serious blogging mark and have not made enough to cover expenses yet. I’m a little bummed. I need to step it up! I was going to sit down today and come up with a concrete plan for marketing and product sales. I’m nervous!

Like Sarah said, “my business is a business, not charity.” So I better step it up!

Congratulations on your 6th month mark, Allie. You know, it can be a long ways out and there are no set time frames for when you break even or become profitable in this space. You are on the right track addressing your journey early. It’s important to know where you’re going with all the content and effort you’re putting in.

Best wishes and keep in touch; if you need to bounce ideas off someone I’m here.

I extremely agree with you Jon. Worrying about what others would think and say about our promotions will not do any good for our business. People always has their say on everything so why worry? As long as our business is genuine and customer-driven, there will always be good sales generated if you combine it with creativity and patience.

You got it! People will always have and voice their opinion and there are always a few who will try to knock you down. Oh well, you have to keep moving forward and leave any negativity or insecurity behind. I like your formula of creativity and patience combined with being customer-driven (and sprinkle in being genuine) will equate to sales.

I’m all about action man and taking a stand man so I definitely know where you are coming from here. It’s great to give away free stuff and to provide value but how much is too much.

Let’s be honest, you don;t get paid for free and you dont get paid for time as an entrepreneur. Like I said, it’;s great to give content and value away for free but in in that formula there is also a place where you deserve to get paid large profits for your efforts.

That’s right. It’s important to fit the piece of the puzzle that is profit into your overall content marketing (and freebie) strategy. When you’re giving things away for free there’s no “making it [profit] up in volume” so no room for being bashful here

I am definitely guilty of getting in my own way at times. I have been planning on creating a blog for a while now but I keep battling over names and how I am going to deliver the content to the people. I know it necessary steps to think about but I have been taking too long with it. I think it’s about time that I make moves!

Aaron – Today is the best day to take action on your blog plans. It takes work and a genuine commitment but it’s all worth it if you just hang in there and work smart. If you have any questions about getting started feel free to contact me.

Awesome Jon, people have a huge tendency to overcomplicate things and put things off. They are the “there’s never a good time” for anything sort of people, who frankly never end up getting things done and struggle to achieve what they desire deep down.

Great post buddy!

I don’t know if I’m happy or disappointed to read this, I was drafting up a similarly themed post! Suppose I can write it and link to this one

Thanks, Eugene. Keep at it and don’t feel like you’re alone. We’ve all been there and it’s hard re-wiring ourselves to put on that sales hat and stop being concerned with what people think. We just have to face those fears and worries to keep our businesses afloat.